If you are looking to save more money or to pay down debt more quickly, one simple lifestyle change you can make is cutting your hair at home. Save even more by also taking care of your family members’ hair care. While the idea of cutting someone’s hair may be intimidating, it is really not that difficult, and it can easily save you a few hundred dollars a month.
How We Save
I have been cutting my husband’s hair since we were married. My mom bought us a pair of hair clippers, which included a how-to video. I watched the video and tentatively started cutting his hair. True, the first few haircuts would not win him a style contest, but slowly my technique improved. Now, it is just a way of life. I cut his hair about every two months, which I estimate saves us $75 to $120 a year at $15 to $20 a haircut.
Likewise, my husband dyes my hair. I had the pleasure (NOT!) of going gray in my mid-twenties. Saloon hair color easily runs $40 to $50 per appointment. I can buy my preferred bottled hair color for $16 (which is expensive compared to other brands available). He dyes my hair every six weeks, which saves us $192 to $272 a year.
While he does a great job dyeing my hair, I don’t trust him to cut my hair. Instead, I let my hair grow long and get several inches cut off about 3 times a year; I pay $25 per appointment . I cut my own bangs in between appointments. If I instead went to have it professionally cut every two months, I would be paying an additional $75 a year.
Other Low Cost Options
If you are hesitant to cut your own hair or have your spouse do it, you still have options available to save money.
– Consider hiring your regular stylist for a private appointment. If you are simply nervous about cutting your spouse’s hair, ask your stylist for a training session. When I first started cutting my husband’s hair, my regular hair dresser spent some time giving me some tips for doing it correctly. You may be able to pay your hairdresser $50 or $100 to teach you how to cut your husband’s hair. You will easily recoup that amount in one year of cutting his hair at home.
–Consider Locks of Love. Locks of Love is an organization that provides wigs for children suffering from long term hair loss. To be a hair donor, Locks of Love requires a minimum 10 inch donation, so it is primarily for women with very long hair. Many salons offer a free hair cut and style if you are donating to Locks of Love. In addition, there are often special events where people get together just for the purpose of donating their hair. Stylists are on hand to cut participants’ hair free of cost.
Hair care can be very expensive. However, you do not have to pay to have it colored and cut at a salon. With some practice and determination, you can meet your hair care needs at home and save a good deal of money that can be used for better purposes.
Melissa, a mom to three little ones (ages 7, 3 and 1), blogs at both Mom’s Plans where she writes about living a fulfilling life on less and paying down debt, and Fiscal Phoenix where she writes about rising from the ashes of your financial mistakes.